On Sept. 22, ETSU celebrated National Voter Registration Day by helping students through the process of registration. The initiative is run by ETSU Votes, a group dedicated to getting students plugged in with the voting process. With their “Election 101” webinars, the group is hoping to get ETSU students out to the polls this Nov. 3.
Young people consistently rank amongst the lowest voter turnouts throughout the country. Though our futures hang in the balance, many feel disconnected from and unrepresented by our current political system. The bureaucracies of registration, the fact that voting occurs during working hours and other hurdles add extra difficulties to turning out the masses.
Though it will not solve the multitude of issues that depress the youth vote, ETSU Votes’ registration initiative will certainly help turn out young people.
In order for change to really occur, engagement with politics and the voting process should not begin and end on an election year. Voter turnout would be higher if voters have candidates who fight for their interests.
This is especially true in Tennessee, a state largely controlled by one party with the second lowest turnout in the country. Improving the public’s faith in our politicians is the number one priority for anyone truly invested in improving voter turnout. This would require massive changes in campaign finance laws, greater engagement in the primary process to pick better candidates, eliminating voter ID laws and other voter suppression efforts, as well as a long-term investment in implementing universal programs to benefit working people across the country.
The work of ETSU Votes and other initiatives are vital. However, to truly get people out to the polls, we must think bigger and have our eyes on longevity. Voters will come out when there is a reason to, when our politicians no longer fail us. If we want more to register to vote, we must demand more from those we elect.
